Multicontact dry reed relay



Dec. 26, 1950 I w, ELLWQOD 2,535,400

MULTICONTACT DRY REED RELAY Filed Aug. 25, 1949 INVENTOR we, ELL W000 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 2,535,400 MULTICONTAGT DRY REED RELAY Walter B. Ellwood, New York, N. Y., assignor'to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application August 25, 1949, Serial No. 112,190 4 This invention generally relates to multicontact relays and more particularly to multicontact relays having a preformed base plate comprising seats for a plurality of contact electrodes contained therein.

An object of the invention is a multicontact sealed-in relay having a fixed spacing-between the contact pairs thereof.

A further object of the invention is the improvement of multicontact relays generally.

The prior art appears to contain no multicontact relays having several switches enclosed in a preformed envelope. Such a relayhas the advantage of having butone envelope and one coil for a number of switches. Obviously this will decrease the cost of manufacturing the relay, and will conserve space in installations in the many instances where the conservation of space is important. Furthermore, individual reed-type switches will sometimes stick together when they should break contact. In this invention a card is placed within the envelope and one reed of each contact pair is passed through the card. Since all the reed contacts operate together, any single ones that tend to stick will be pulled apart by the force of the other contacts transmitted through the card, thus virtually eliminating faulty operation due to the sticking of contacts.

One of the features of this relay is the preformed base plate of glass, ceramic, or other suitable material, which has formed therein preformed seats for the magnetic reed contacts of the individual switches. This assures the proper seating for the reed contacts so that the spacing and alignment of said contacts are correct.

A further feature of the relay is the use of a dish-like glass base plate and a glass cover therefor to form an air-tight container for the enclosed contacts. The above-mentioned objects and features of the invention along with other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a top view of the glass base plate with the reed contacts placed therein;

Fig. 2 illustrates a side View of the interior of the relay. This view illustrates the manner in which the preformed seats, glass cover plate and the glass base plate are arranged to insure spacing and alignment of the reed contacts; and

Fig. 3 illustrates an end view of the relay.

The components of the switch are a preformed glass base plate I, round or rectangular, magnetic reeds 2 and 5 of an alloy which is scalable to glass such as 48 per cent nickel, 52 per cent iron 6 Claims. ('01. 200-104) alloy and plated with contact metal such as rhodium or some other suitable metal, and a molded glass plate 3. As shown in Fig. 2 the performed molded glass base plate I has two ridges 6 and I which are molded into the glass base plate along with the slots 9 provided at the end of the glass base plate to provide further assurance for proper alignment. The ridges 6 and I are provided with a slight depression, one for each magnetic reed. These slight depressions in the preformed ridges and the slots in the ends of the glass base plate serve to align the magnetic elements longitudinally and also to produce thecorrect spacing between the overlapping ends when the magnetic reed elements are inserted.

The whole assembly is covered by a molded cover or cap plate'3 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 which has been previously prepared with a sufiicient soft glass coating 8 on its edges to seal the whole assembly upon the application of heat.

The entire assembly is prepared in advance and sealed by placing in a furnace with an inert atmosphere and raising the temperature to the sealing point of the low melting point glass 8. It is essential that the low melting glass reach a fluid stage before the main molded glass cap or the base plate softens.

It is to be noted that this structure is not limited to glass for the preformed card 4 but that ceramics may also be used.

If it is desired to fill the structure with other chemically active or inactive gases a metal tube may be substituted for one of the magnetic ele ments. This tube can be used for completing and filling the space inside the cap after which it may be sealed shut.

Winding IE! provides the necessary magnetic field to actuate the contacts within the glass container.

If the magnetic reeds are made to pass through loosely fitting holes in an otherwise free ceramic card 4, the effects of the multiple card operation may be obtained. By this is meant that if any one of contact electrodes 5 tends to stick the retractile force of the others is applied through the card to break loose the sticking element.

The above description is of a preferred embodiment of the invention and various changes may be made in the material, size and arrangement without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A multicontact relay comprising an envelope, aplurality of pairs of dry reed contacts arranged adjacent and parallel to each other, each pair of 2. A multicontact relay comprising; a plurality" of magnetic reed contacts scalable to a formable insulating material, a base plate of"said'insulat ing material having preformed ridges :for spacing and aligning said reed contacts, and'a cover plateof said insulating materialhermetically sealed to:

said base plate, said reed contacts being within the combination of saidbase plate and said cover" plate.

'3'. Amnlticontact: relay; comprising a plurality oiwreed contacts zsealableitoi-ceramic; aceramicbase plate, having preformed. ridges f or. spacing and aligning said reed contacts;.a ceramic cap plate hermetically sealed to, said ceramic. base plate, and" azceramic coating-having a-melting point lower than that either said. cap. or: base placedon the edge ofsaid capvtoi provide the s eal between said" ceramicrcapandl said ceramic base, saidg'reed contacts being placed between-the said cap and base; and eachreed having one ofl'its ends-securedinthe seal betweensaidlbase plate and cover, plate.

A multicontact relawcomprisihge a plurality of magnetic reeds sealable to: glass; azgl'assr' base platehaving preformed ridges 'ter spacing" and aligning said reed'contacts; said preformed ridges having plurality of indentations -thereon, one for each-ofsaid' magnetic reeds to'seat i'n, said glass base plate having a-plurality ofi grooves in the ends thereof; one individual'to each-of said magnetic reeds, said magnetic-reeds being ar ranged side by side in said grooves and indentations and a glass cover plate'hermetically sealed to said. glass base plate.

5. A relay comprising a glass base plate, a glass cap hermetically sealed to said base plate, and a plurality of magnetic reeds arranged between said cap and base to form a series of switches, eachof said: switches comprising-two:magnetieneeds arrangedfi'longitudinally witlr'respecttoeach other, said base plate comprising two parallel ridges perpendicular to the magnetic reeds, said ridges comprisingga-plurality of indentations, each magnetic reed'beingseated in one of these indentations, a plurality"oflgroevesin ends of said base plate, a magnetic;reedfnesting in each groove, and magnetic means-toactuate said magnetic reeds.

Aurel-an comprising a base plate, a cap hermetically sealed to said. base plate, and a plurality ofmagnetic reeds arranged in two rows of parallel reeds between said cap and base, a magnetic reed each row: associated with; magnetic reed of: the? othemrotwto form-z. individual switcheszsaid base" plate 'comprisingrrid'gesii'ormat therei'mrandaplurali'ty of grooves'siir the endiwalls:

thereof, said ridges having aplurail ity of 'indem'aationstherein saic l grooves andi inderrtatibnaforming seats for: said magnct"- to: cause said. Switches to make contactt.

EEEWOQDJZ file" of thisgpatent UN ITED STIFATESii-PAIENTS.

eeds; means torseall' said cap to said base, and; ectromagnetic meaus" 

